


Broken

by ladyzanra



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-17
Updated: 2013-04-17
Packaged: 2017-12-08 18:46:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/764771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyzanra/pseuds/ladyzanra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For CD's prompt 'Pretending'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Broken

They are gathered in the throne room for the same reason they almost always are, these days: Uther has caught another sorcerer.

Merlin stands close to Gaius, clasping his hands as Gaius does, chin steady and eyes inscrutable the way Gaius's are. When the doomed young witch is sentenced to death, and her screams tear through the hall more damagingly than her magic ever could, Merlin pretends he _is_ Gaius, old and grave and prudent and silent, even though the breath catches in his throat and then he can't think straight for his fury.

He doesn't move. He doesn't give himself away.

Later, in their chambers, Gaius will tell him not to try to save the condemned witch. Later still, Merlin will try anyway, all the while not begrudging his mentor his inaction, only ever understanding him, only ever grateful for the stoic bearing, the staunch chin, the silence and the sorrow beneath the silence. If it weren't for these, Uther would have caught Merlin too, long ago.

Gaius is a broken man, but Merlin has never known a whole one.


End file.
